Switch mechanism



H. F. KHANTZ. SWITCH MCHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED1UNE16,1917.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOH H. F. KRNTZ.

SWITCH MECHANISNI.

APPLICANON H LED JUNE 15. 1911.

UNITED srArs PATENT critics,

VERE.

' HUBERT E. KRANTZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSI-GNOR T0 KRANTZ .MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, INC.,v OF BRDOKLYN. NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW SWITCH MECHANISM.

Patented Dec. G, 1921.

Application led'une 1G, 1917. Serial No. 175,196.

To all co hom 1' t may concern,

Be it known that l, HUBERT F. KRANTA, residing at'lroollyn. in the county of Kings and State of New York. have invented cer.- tain new and useful Improvements in a Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a switch mechanism for safety panel boxes. l

A, particular object of the invention is to provide a switch mechanism which will yen` able a reduction in the size of panel boxes of given current capacity and which will also include parts constituting an efficient barrier against probable contact with the mainline terminals when the switch is in the off position.

A further object is to provide a switch mechanism which may be readily controlled.

A further and more detailed object is to provide a switch vmechanism having spaced Contact parts movable in a vertical plane towa'rd and away from fixed contacts, to provide eilicient insulating means enabling the fixed contacts to be positioned in close proximity to each other, said insulating means serving always as a guard member for one of the contacts, and to provide simpleand efficient means whereby the up and down movements of the movable contacts may be readily accomplished from without the panel box by a single swinging operating handle. Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed -out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts andapplications of principles, constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the, appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken asa part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through ,a panel box having a switch mechanism mounted therein. constructed in accordance with this invention, the switch being shown in the on position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the switch mechanism with the parts thereof in the. off position, and the panel box being diagrammatically illustrated.

Figi 3' is a vertical transverse `sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of line lll of Fig. l, with the switch mech- .ani-sm in the "of" position, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken upon the plane of line IV of F ig. l. A

`Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structure which is illustrated therein` the reference character L indicates the panel box generally. This may be made up of any suitable material, either sheet 'metal or otherwise. according to preference. In the drawings it is shown to be madeof sheet metal.

The switch mechanism G is arranged within the box, being preferably fixed to the upper wall lof the box and having a handle 2 projecting through an opening 3 formed through said upper wall.

The switch mechanism includes a horizontally disposed carrier H having one or more inverted U-shaped switch blades 4 carried thereby, and dependent therefrom, each switch blade having the lower ends of its legs turnedl outwardly to form contact portions 5 and 6 spaced apart and adapted for vmovement into and out of engagementwith stationary contact brushes 7 and 8 respectively.

The switch blades may be fixed to the carc rier in any suitable manner but the carrier `is preferably of channel-shape and the switch blades have their connecting portions nested within the carrier and insulated therefrom and from each other by a suitable channel-shape insulating member 9 which lines the carrier.

The movingA parts of the switch mechanism may be mounted directly in the walls of the casing if desired but preferably they are mounted by a suitable frame 10 to form a switch unit which may be readily mounted within .the casing. y A

The frame 10 includes a pair of spaced arms 11 one disposed at 'each end of the carrier'and each arm having side flanges 12 whereby it constitutes a vertical guide-Way for guiding the movement of the carrier.l

The opposite ends'of the carrier are suitably formed for engaging the guide-Way. In the instance illustrated the opposite end portions of the carrier are bent downwardly as at 13, and provided with flanges 14 which loosely engage within the guide-way.

The downwardly bent portions 13 serve I as means to which the lower links 150ia toggle operating mechanism may be connected Other toggle links 16 are fixed to a shaft 17 which is rotatably mounted in thel lframe 10y and the lfree ends of the links 16 are pivotally connected' to the links 15.

` for the toggle into off position .the barrier.

At least one of the links 16 is provided with shoulders 1S and 19 ior engaging the.

under-surface portions. 2O and 21 respectively o the carrier 10 to limit movement of the toggle in its two positions.

The operating 'handle 2 is pivotally mounted loosely upon the shaft 17 and has a pair 01"' shoulders22 and`23 tor operating the togglev `into its 'two positions. The shoulder 22 engages the heel to break the toggle when the handle is thrown to the' off position, while the shoulder 2,8 engages the heel to make the toggle when the handle is thrown-to the on position.

These shoulders 22 and 23 are suitably spacedfto provide unobstructed snap actionV when operated by the shoulder- 22.

Any desired means may be employed for urging the carrier normally to its off position. Such a means is illustrated for instance by t-he tension spring 24 connectedA between the carrier and the .frame 10.-

A, transverse barrier 25 of insulating material is arranged within the casing to constitutev a part of the switch mechanism. It is shown to project upwardly from an insulating'base 26 and to4 stand between the legs of the switch blades iso that during the operation of the switch the blades 4 move into and out lof position straddling The contacts 7 and'f8 are ar.- ranged at; opposite sides of thel barrier, the presence of the barrier enabling them to be brought within close proximity to each other. The barrier projects upwardly above the plane of the contacts 7 and 8 so that the arcing path 'between said contacts .is sufficiently lengthened for all requirements.

The barrier may serve also to guard the live contact. In this connection note'that the barrier," with the remainderv of the switch mechanism,A is arranged at one side of the region of the panel box door 27 and that the live, or line, contacts 7 are disposed at that side of the barrier which is farthest from said door.

It is important, also, in this connection,

i thatV when the carrieris elevated into the off position,.it constitutes, in eiiect, an upward extension .of the barrier between the door and the live contacts so that the probability of an operator accidentally reaching oneY of the live contacts is almost ventirely eliminated. The switch' blades 4 too improve this result, as clearly illustrated.,

In order to facilitate a proper electrical quired, other forms of fixed contacts may be employed as will be readily understood.

In the operation of the device .the nain line current flows from one elthecontacts 7 intof the one leg of the switch blades 4 thence about the barrier 25 to the other leg and out through the opposite contact -Sand. through the protecting fuse 28 in the usual manner.

As manychanges could be made in this construction without departingv from the scope of the invention kas defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be in- `terpreted as illustrative only and not iii a.

limiting sense;

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A switch mechanism comprising a pair of contacts spaced apart, a barrier inter- ,y

posed to lengthen the. path between said contacts7 a U-shaped switch blade movable into andout of position straddling said barrier to dispose the end portions of its legs into and out of'engagement with said contacts,

and a quick-break mechanism Jfor operatingl said switch blade.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a pair of contact members spaced apart, a barrier interposed therebetween to lengthen the path between said contacts, a movable. switch member having parts disposed at opposite i sides of the barrier, a carrier for said switch member, a pair of mounting said carri guide ways for slidablya pair of toggle mechanisms connected to said carrier, a connecting rod extending between said togglev mechamsms, and means for actuating the connecting rod to .actuate the carrier.

3. A device of the class described comprising a box having a door providing access thereinto, a ,switch mechanism within the box at one side of said door, said switch mechanism comprising a pair of contact members spaced apart, a barrier interposed therebetween for lengtheningthe path between said contact members, a carrier movably mounted over said barrier, a plurality of switch blades supported by said carrier,

i each of said switch blades being of, Ushape having' its legs depending from the carrier Vto straddle the barrier, contact members at switch blades toward and away from saidV contact members, said switch blades being spaced apart along the length of said bar rior, and said carrier and said switch blades cooperating with said barrier when said switch blades are off to guard the contacts farther from said door only. y

t. ln a device of the class described, a box having a door providing access thereinto, a switch mechanism within the boxat Yone side of said door, said switch mechanism comprising a pairofcontacts one relatively near to andthe other farther away from the door opening, a permanent guard member within the box interposed between said contacts to guard the vsecond mentioned contact from said door opening, and a switch blade movable into and out of position bridging said guard member' for controlling a circuit be tween said contacts. I

5. In a device of the class described, a box having a door providing access thereinto, a switch mechanism within the box at one side of said door, said switch mechanism comprising a pair of contacts one relatively near to and the other farther away from the'door opening, a permanent guard member within the box interposed between said contacts to guard the second mentioned contact from said door opening, a switch blade movable into and out of position bridging said guard member for controlling a circuit between said contacts, and a carrier for said switch blade of a character to serve as an auxiliary guard member for said second mentioned contact. i

' 6. In a device of lthe class described, a box having a door providing access thereinto, a switch mechanism within the box at one side.

of said door, said switch mechanism comprising a pair of'contacts one relatively near to and the other farther away from the door opening, apermanent guard member within the box interposed between said contacts to guard the second mentioned contact from member for occupying a portion of said men ,tioned space when. in otf iositlon.

In testimony whereof a x my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HUBERT F. KRANTZ. TWitnesses:

JOHN L. KOLLE,

FRITZ KinaU'rzMaNN. 

